Refillable fuse



Jun 3, 1930. J. CLEMENS 1,761,466

REFILLABLE FUSE Filed Jan. 25, 1927 rrics JOHN G. CLEIV'ENSS, GFEG'GERTSVILLE, NEW YORK, ./SlG-NOR 'O .PlElCl RENEWABLE ENQ, F BUFFALO,NEW" YQBK REFILLABLT- FUSE Application filed January 25, 1927.

This invention relates to reiillable fuses of the kind having a fuselink which when burned out can be replaced by another fuse link.

Fuses of this kind as heretofore made have generally been provided witha body portion made of fiber or other insulating material, which whilenot readily combustible, is nevertheless damaged or charred by llameresulting from the burning of the fuse link and also by the heatgenerated in the fuse link, so that the body portions of these fuselinks eventually become weakened due to charring of the material ofwhich the body portions are made. To make these body portions ofnon-combustible insulating material involves difficulties in that suchmaterial ordinarily cannot be provided with screw threads and cannot bebored or machined in such a manner as to provide Ventilating passagesfor the gaseous products of combustion resulting from the blowing of thefuse link.

The objects of this invention are to provide a fuse of this kind madeentirely of noncombustible material. or material which is not .damagedby the temperatures resulting from Jthe blowing of fuse link; also toprovide a fuse of this kind in which a chamber or pasfor the gaseousproducts of combustion is provided in a metallic portion arrangedexterior to the non-conducting body ofthe fuse; also to provide a fuseof this kind with means of novel construction for securing the ends ofthe removable fuse link to metallic terminals of the fuse, also toprovide the insulating body portion of the fuse with means of improvedconstruction by which the fuse may be handled without touching theconducting portion of the fuse; also to improve the construction offuses of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified.

ln the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a longitudinal, central sectional elevation of a relillablefuse embodying this 5 invention.

F ig. 2 is a side view of the body of the fuso.

Fig. 3 is aside view., on a reduced scale, of the completed fuse.

i Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a 9) fuse showing theseveral parts of the fuse Serial No. 163,411.

separated from each other to show their structure and the manner ofassembling the fuse.

F ig. 5 is a transverse, sectional elevation of `the fuse on line 5 5,Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a body of modified construction.

A represents in general the tubular shell or body of the fuse which ismade of insulating and non-combustible material. Lava has been found tobe higl'ily satisfactory for this purpose, but other materials may beemployed in forming the body portion. li" the body portion is made oflava or similar noncombustible insulating material, it is not praccicalto do any intricate machine work on the body portion and also it is notpossible to form these body portions in molds which are intricate, sincethis material cannot readily be forced into crevices or recesses in suchmolds. rlhe barrel or body portion of the fuse, as shown in Figs. l-,includes the usual tubular portion a, and a radially extending integralflange a, which serves as a linger hold for the fuse. The insulatingbody of the fuse is also provided with a portion which is adapted tohold the metallic parts of the fuse securely in place on the body. Forthis purpose, in the particular construction shown, an annular shouldero2 is formed near each end of the tubular portion a, the shoulder o2being formed by means of an annular groove extending around the tubularportion a of the body or housing A. In order to prevent rotation of theshells or metal portions of the fuse on the body, the tubular portions aof the body are provided with longitudinal grooves or keyways L3 in theouter surfaces thereof, which cooperate with corresponding parts,hereinafter to be described, on the metal portions of the fuse. V.tinyother projections or depressions on the body portion for holding themetal portions of the fuse against endwise displacement and againstturning thereon may be provided.

ln order that a fuse of this kind may be able to withstand tests andinspection while the fuse link is burned by a severe overload ofelectric current, it is desirable that means be provided for causing thegaseous products of combustion, after flowing outwardly in opbe burned"epeatedly without causing any damage whatever lto any portion of the`fuse, si the body portion which is subjected to the greatest heat, ismade of non-combustible material, and also the heat developed in theYliuse link during the normal use thereo'l' will not tend to char thebody portion of 'the fuse, so that the fuse may be used indelinitelywithout being weakened or damaged in any man ner.

l claim as my invention l. A relillable l'use including a substantiallytubular body of non-combustible insulating material having annularshoulders, a 'fuse link extending through said body, vent shellsarranged about said body and having passages extending lengthwise of theouter surl'ace of said body for the gaseous products of combustionresulting from the fusing et .aid link and having portions pressed intoengagement with said shoulders to secure said vent shells to said body,and means connected with said vent shells to secure the ends of said`fuse link thereto.

2. A retillable fuse including a substantially tubular body oitnon-combustible insulating material, a fuse link arranged in saidtubular body, terminal members with which the ends ol" said fuse linkare connected and which are supported on said body, a pair oit ventshells mounted on said body and communicating with the opposite ends ofsaid body to receive gaseous products of combustion therefrom anddischarge the same to the atmosphere, said shells having parts which arepressed into locking engagement with corresponding parts on said body.

3. A retillable fuse including a substantially tubular body ofnon-combustible insulatmaterial, a fuse link extending lengthwisethrough said body, a pair of metallic vent shells mounted on said bodyand having vent passages communicating with the opposite ends el" saidbody to receive gaseous products et combustion trom the ends thereof andconduct the same in a reverse direction along the periphery oil saidbody to the atmosphere, and Contact means supported on said body andwith which the ends of said inse link engage.

4C. A reiillable fuse including a substantially tubular bodynon-combustible insulating material, a fuse link arranged in saidtubular body, a pair ot' metallic shells mounted on said body and havingannular vent passages arranged substantially concentrically about saidbody and communicating at their outer ends with the opposite ends oisaid body to receive gaseous products of combustion therefrom anddischarge the same adjacent to their inner ends to the atmosphere, andterminal members with which the ends of said fuse link are connected andwhich are supported on said vent shells.

5. A relillable fuse including a substantially tubular body etnon-combustible insulating material, a fuse link arranged in saidtubular body, terminal. members with which the ends of said fuse linkare connected and which are supported on said body, a pair of metallicvent shells extending about said body and having an inner wall arrangedadjacent to the outer Wall of the tubular port-ion ol the body, and anouter wall spaced at a distance therefrom to form a annular vent passagethrough which products ot combustion pass from the ends of said tubularbody, said outer walls of said vent shells being provided with aperturesthrough which products of combustion pass to the atmosphere.

6. A relillable fuse including a substantially tubular body oi'non-combustible insulating material, a ituse link arranged in saidtubular body, terminal members with which the ends of said fuse link areconnected and which are supported on said body, a pair of metallic ventshells extending about said body and having an inner wall arrangedadjacent to the outer wall ot the tubular portion of the body, an outerwall spaced at a distance therefrom o iorm an annular vent passagethrough which products of combustion pass from the ends ol" said tubularbody, said out-- er walls of said vent shells being provided `withapertures through which products of combustion pass to the atmosphere,and a shoulder near each end of said body, the inner wall of each ofsaid vent shells being` pressed into engagement with said shoulder toretain the vent shells on said body,

7. A relillable fuse including a substantially tubular body otnon-combustible insulating material, metallic vent shells extendingaround parts ot said body and adapted to receive products ot combustiondischarged troni the ends of said body, bushings secured to said shells,`terrules, each having a threaded engagement with a bushing, and a fuselink extending through said body and having its ends secured betweensaid bushings and said errules.

8. A reiillable fuse including a substantially tubular body ofnon-combustible insulating material and having an integral outwardlyextending annular flange arranged intermediate ot the ends of said body,metallic vent shells mounted on opposite sides ot said flange andsurrounding said body and provided with passages communicating with theends of said body for receiving products of combustion and discharging,"the same to the atmosphere, a fuse link extending through body, andterminals mounted on said metallic shells to which the ends or" saidfuse link are secured.

9. A rehllable fuse including a substantially tubular body ofnon-.combustible insulating material and adapted to contain a i''uselink, metallic members secured to and arranged about the walls ot saidbody and havllO ing vent passages Communicating at their outer ends Withthe ends of said body and having vent openings near the inner ends ofsaid members, and un annular member of n- 5 sulating material projectingoutwardly from smid body and spaced between the inner ends of saidmetallic members.

J OHN CLEMENS.

